Freedom Fest begins tomorrow, where else, but in Las Vegas. I’m here for the conference because I’m libertarian-y and also it’s one of the few occasions I get to feel somewhat moderate politically.
“Free Minds and Free Markets”
This year’s event has some big-name politicians in attendance, a rarity. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) will be speaking and a recent addition to the lineup is Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who was kind of a surprise speaker for a liberty-minded audience. He’s all over the Vegas media with tv and radio ads — his presidential operation is in full gear for the precious commodity of swing state Nevada.
Another last-minute addition to the lineup is mogul-turned-presidential candidate Donald Trump, who will speak on “What the American Dream Means to Me, and How We Can Make America Great Again.” I wonder if he will talk about the immigration issue, as this might not be the best audience for that.
Some of the other conference highlights will be a debate between Stephen Moore (supply-sider and WSJ columnist) and Paul Krugman (Keynesian and NYT columnist) about how we can best restore the American dream. Peter Thiel, founder of PayPal, will be speaking, as will John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, and Patrick Byrne, the CEO of Overstock.com. Here is the full list of speakers.
The libertarian movement is growing, probably in reaction to 8 years of an ever-expanding nanny state along with an internet-based younger generation that has privacy concerns.
Stay tuned to the Tatler, as I bring you up-to-the-minute updates about the conference and my run at the blackjack tables.
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